Help: Seperating mom from eggs

So I had the emergency clutch from a different post. Well I was able to get ahold of a incubator and Verm. and basically everything I need. I have the girls temps at around 94 degrees right now. I cant see all the eggs but I can smell that one of them has gone bad. I want to get ehr off the eggs asap now I have no clue on how to safely do so. Also whats the easiest way to move the eggs from tank to tub to incubator. Thanks a lot!

http://www.ballpythons.ca/gallery/eggs_out.html

drop temps down a little... eggs need to be at 89... her hot spot doesnt have to be 94..thats hot for a bp normaly ( my standards...i keep them around 90)

So I got mom separated pretty easily. I did a once over to make sure she wasn't retaining any eggs and put her in a tub. I then took a look at the eggs for the first time. It looks 6 total. 2 of which where DOA from the get go. Then another must have happened recently. most of the eggs were stuck to one another in some way so I chose not to remove the dead eggs yet. I set up the incubator before hand at 88 degrees in some Vermiculite in a plastic bag.(I'll post some pictures. I have put them all in together. Now the 3 remaining 'healthy' eggs dont seem in to great of shape. It was hard to maintain 60% for humidity for some reason and I couldn't get it figured out right away. The 3 remaining eggs feel kind of tough and a little dry. I figure ill put them in the bator for 24 hours and hope for the best. Any clues on what I should do about the dead eggs and removing them from the bunch. And any help of getting this clutch to survive?

Well I'm guessing your idea for removal of the eggs was better than mine. I was thinking of having her bite me :rage: then grabbing behind her neck and slowly unwinding her from the eggs!







Just joking!!! :rofl:

I read somewhere that you should not remove the dead eggs if they are stuck to the others and that any molding that occurs should not hurt the eggs BUT I have never bred and cannot say for sure if this is what others do. I hope others chirp in soon for ya!

If the dead eggs are not too hard to remove I personally would try to remove them. Make sure you don't make your vermiculite too wet. If the eggs are still alive they will recover. 94 degrees is pretty hot though. It's possible they are cooked.

If the unfertile/dead eggs are stuck to the good eggs, leave them. You don't want to damage the good eggs, and healthy eggs are resistant to bacteria and fungi.

You NEED to have the humidity in the egg box as high as possible, the closer to 100% the better. Just don't get water on the eggs.

Steve

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Originally Posted by WellyBelly

I set up the incubator before hand at 88 degrees in some Vermiculite in a plastic bag.(I'll post some pictures. I have put them all in together. Now the 3 remaining 'healthy' eggs dont seem in to great of shape. It was hard to maintain 60% for humidity for some reason and I couldn't get it figured out right away. The 3 remaining eggs feel kind of tough and a little dry. I figure ill put them in the bator for 24 hours and hope for the best.

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Are you saying that you are incubating the eggs in a plastic bag?

And what do you plan to do with the eggs after 24 hours? I'm a little confused.

no I put Vermiculite in a plastic bag and rolled down the sides level to the verm. Kind of like a dish. Then I rested the eggs on top of the verm.

So, how are you sealing the bag to keep the humidity in? Normally the incubating substrate is in some sort of tub with no air holes and sealed, then put into the incubator.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

So, how are you sealing the bag to keep the humidity in? Normally the incubating substrate is in some sort of tub with no air holes and sealed, then put into the incubator.

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They are not covered. WOrking on that now. Like i said this was spur of the moment. Trying my best.

instead of rolling it down it might have been better to seal the bag so that humidity could be retained inside it. im thinking a sealed plastic bag is similar to a sealed plastic container and they both may do the same job.

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Originally Posted by bigballs

instead of rolling it down it might have been better to seal the bag so that humidity could be retained inside it. im thinking a sealed plastic bag is similar to a sealed plastic container and they both may do the same job.

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Any second opinions on this? I have a 15qt tub as teh smallest around. Wont fit in the bator correctly so I cant use it. I suppose humidity driping on the eggs is the no no.

Since only two eggs seem to be salvagable from your other thread, why not get a six quart shoebox tub? Wouldn't that fit? What kind of incubator are you using?

What are the dimensions of the interior of the incubator?

You should be able to find a plastic box that works...

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Since only two eggs seem to be salvagable from your other thread, why not get a six quart shoebox tub? Wouldn't that fit? What kind of incubator are you using?

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Hovabator. the 15qt is just whats on hand. I recentely wrecked my car so im stuck in the house trying to improv. something.

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Originally Posted by WellyBelly

Hovabator. the 15qt is just whats on hand. I recentely wrecked my car so im stuck in the house trying to improv. something.

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A 15 qt tub will not fit in a hovabator. You need something smaller.
Also, expect to have these in the incubator for 55-60 days. Not just 24 hours.

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Originally Posted by SPJ

A 15 qt tub will not fit in a hovabator. You need something smaller.
Also, expect to have these in the incubator for 55-60 days. Not just 24 hours.

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the 24 hours was how long i gave them until I opened the container to check on them again, which has already come to pass.

What are you controlling the hovabator with? Are you using the "thermostat" it came with or an external one?

In any event, eggs in an open box in a hovabator will be "toast" in more than one way in no time....